Chef John's Sweet-and-Tangy Bread & Butter Pickles

Name: Chef John's Sweet-and-Tangy Bread & Butter Pickles
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 48 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tsp Black Peppercorns; 1 tsp Celery Seed; 2 lb Cucumber; 2 cloves Garlic; 0.13 tsp Ground Cloves; 0.5 tsp Ground Turmeric; 2 whole Jalapeño Pepper; 1 tbsp Mustard Seeds; 3 tbsp Salt; 2 cups Sugar; 0.25 cup Water; 2 cups White Vinegar; 0.5 whole Yellow Onion

Side Dish 🥗Snack 🍿 American Low-Carb Low-Sodium Heart-Healthy ❤️Gluten-Free Vegetarian 🥦Vegan 🌱Plant-Based 🌻Halal 🕌Kosher ✡️Pescatarian 🐟

Chef John's Sweet-and-Tangy Bread & Butter Pickles deliver a crisp bite with a balanced sweetness and vinegar tang, accented by gentle jalapeño heat. Mustard seed, celery seed, turmeric, and cloves add aromatic depth, making these pickles perfect for sandwiches, burgers, or charcuterie boards. Serve them at cookouts or alongside weeknight dinners for a bright, crunchy contrast.

Prep15 mins
Cook5 mins
Serves48
DifficultyEasy

1

Combine cucumbers, onion, and peppers in a bowl; sprinkle kosher salt over the top and stir to coat thoroughly.
2

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 hours.
3

Rinse the cucumber mixture in a colander under cold water until all the salt is washed away, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain.
4

Stir vinegar, sugar, water, garlic, mustard seed, celery seed, peppercorns, turmeric, and ground cloves together in a saucepan; bring to a simmer and cook until the brine flavors meld, about 2 minutes.
5

Add the cucumber mixture to the brine; heat until almost boiling, remove from the heat, and cool completely.
6

Transfer to jars and store in the refrigerator.